Hundreds of mothers lead rally in Fort Lauderdale for tougher gun laws

Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America rallied in Fort Lauderdale as one of more than 100 rallies in all 50 states during the weekend

Emotions ran as high as the midday temperatures at the Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America rally in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday.

More than 200 gun reform supporters gathered out front of War Memorial Auditorium in Holiday Park wearing red T-shirts, shouting, chanting, and speaking out against current gun laws and mass shootings.

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The gathering was one of more than 100 weekend rallies in all 50 states organized to pressure the U.S. Senate to reduce gun violence by enacting background checks and red-flag laws.

Among the guest speakers choking back their emotions was U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, D-Fl, whose voice quavered as she told the crowd to do more than just retweet anti-gun slogans on social media.

Debbie Wasserman-Schultz got emotional when speaking about her daughter's safety and the frustration of dealing with Senate Republicans on gun violence issues (Wayne K. Roustan)

“Please make sure that we can change the law, that we can melt the frozen hearts of our colleagues,” she said of the Republican-controlled Senate. “You look into their vacant eyes and all they care about is holding onto power.”

Parkland resident Bill Bates stood among the mothers in the crowd. His son spent more than two hours hiding in the closet of a classroom at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14, 2018, as rapid fire echoed across the campus, killing 17 and wounding 17.

"This is insane,” he said. “And, it’s nuts that this happened to us well over a year ago and how many other [mass shooting] events have happened since then? It’s just crazy.”

In the parking lot across from the rally stood lone Second Amendment activist Jeff Hulbert, from Maryland, who was holding the American flag and propping up a large sign that read: Gun Rights. He said anti-gun rallies like this inadvertently promote gun sales.

“The phenomenon is that when rallies like this get on the news and they make a furor about wanting to ban constitutionally protected property, it does encourage others to go out and get that property,” he said.

As the two-hour event dispersed about 1 p.m., several people leaving the rally shouted at Hulbert on the way to their cars.

Fort Lauderdale resident Shannon Forte got involved with Mothers Demand Action after the Parkland mass shooting because she wanted to ensure her 8-year-old son could begin the third grade without worrying about being shot.

“I’d like to know what I can do besides voting to keep my son safe,” she said. “I keep voting for stricter gun laws. I keep voting for reducing gun violence and increasing background checks, but nothing seems to be changing.”

As national rallies were held to end gun violence, members of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America gathered in Fort Lauderdale to urge the Senate to reduce gun violence by enacting background checks and red flag laws. (Wayne K. Roustan)